Major-Minor

Keith Hartley has published a couple of books of solo bass tunes which I've used with some of my students. Excellent material to work with, all well known tunes transcribed for solo bass. [url="http://www.doublebass-solo.com/Book1.php"]http://www.doublebass-solo.com/Book1.php[/url]

[quote name='Bilbo' post='1251907' date='May 31 2011, 07:10 PM']Certainly does no harm, Gonzo, but the stuff I am confused by is more complicated. Like horns and clarinets that can be tuned three different ways, harps, all sorts of weird stuff.[/quote] There are 4 types of clarinet regularly used in the standard orch. Bb and A clarinets: All regular clarinet players carry these two. Eb clarinet is a very small high pitched instrument only occasionally used. Bass clarinet (in Bb) is common in music from the Romantic period onwards. Horns are mostly in F but can use different "crooks" to change to other transpositions. This is mainly for baroque and classical period music. Harps are hugely complex ! They can change the pitch of each string up or down a semitone with the pedals. If you want to really get into detail with orchestration get a copy of something like Samuel Adler's "The Study of Orchestration". Excellent book !

[quote name='Doddy' post='1250519' date='May 30 2011, 05:29 PM']I would have thought that all the parts would be transcribed in the correct key for the particular instrument,so the horns would be written as they would for a horn player.[/quote] Doddy is quite right. The standard orchestral score is written with all the parts transposed for each instrument that requires it (Bb trumpets / Bb or A clarinets / Horns in F etc) and all instruments will be written in their normal clefs. Bear in mind that other clefs will be used as needed, so for instance if the viola part goes very high, that particular passage may well be written in treble clef rather than alto. But I guess that Bilbo's question is more about HOW to read a score when all the parts seem to make no immediate sense what with all this transposition going on. The answer to this is a little more complex. Score reading is an art in itself and not for the faint hearted. It's more about seeing blocks of notes, direction of lines, entries of each part, and following tempo directions and dynamics. Many conductors will mark their scores (and many use the miniature scores that Bilbo is referring to) with red lines to indicate an important entry or a sudden tempo change or a solo part that needs bringing out. Actually READING each note on the page is mostly unnecessary. During rehearsal, a player may query the conductor about a particular note. There are many well known errors in standard orchestral works, so often a conductor needs to look closely at the score to de-cypher what the 3rd flute, say, is playing in a particular spot. Many scores, particularly the miniature variety, are written with 2 or parts to a line, just so all the lines can be fitted on the page. This can make it difficult to see without a very close look. Bilbo - does this help ? The Major

When we first get into playing music, most people play as their teacher tells them or they copy their favourite player or mimic guys on the web or on cd etc But there comes a point where we have to start thinking for ourselves. And the sooner a player can develop this self reliance the better. It's also how we develop an individual style or voice. Some take years to get to this point. Some never get there at all. Reliance on a machine to create notes for us to play is all well and good but it's just putting off that point where you take control of your musicality. Many of my classical muso colleagues never go beyond playing just the notes on the page. Of course they do it to the highest of standards. But I have always wanted to be a more rounded fluent player able to create on the fly and feel in control of the music. If you are still at the stage of needing to be told what to play then this software may well be useful to you. But the sooner you can think music for yourself the better. Sometimes a simple uncluttered and repetitive bass part is exactly what is required so bass players need to be able to infuse those few precious notes with as much passion as we can without feeling we are bored.

If you think that creating and playing simple repetitive note patterns is boring and waste of your time, then maybe the bass is not the instrument for you !!! They do say that bass players have to be great musicians because we have fewer notes than most musicians to be musical and creative with.

[quote name='BassoRidiculoso' post='1243864' date='May 25 2011, 08:47 AM']Computers are very good at doing repetitive tasks, of which there is very little redeeming value for a human to waste their time doing. Running a repeating matrix pattern over and over and over requires no special human intelligence. Its just paperwork. Understanding how to do it is valuable, but sitting down and wasting an hour doing it once you understand how to is pointless, when you could instead be working on the important part - making music. Now, what humans ARE really good at and what computers are not is finding the musical phrases within the generated patterns and applying them in an interesting, creative, unique way. This splits the task between what the computer is good at and what the human is good at. Feel free to keep using your quill pen, that is if you don't have to turn off your oil lamp, hitch up your horse to your buggy and go on down to the train station to send a telegram to someone.[/quote] mmm maybe I've misunderstood what you would use this pattern generating software for. But as a composer, arranger, improviser, producer and working bass player, I (and many like me) have to create "note patterns" in a musically useful and emotionally stimulating way. I use computers (and samples/sequencers) extensively to help me get notes on the page, or audio into the mix, and I love the fact that I no longer have to use that quill pen under an oil lamp light and that I can send my finished mixes or scores to my publisher via the internet, and can communicate with the world outside my studio without having to send a telegram . But any musical ideas I have come entirely from within my brain (small as it maybe !) and I'm glad I can string notes together and use my musical judgement to decide whether they work as a musical phrase / harmony / counterpoint etc.

I'm sure some people will find this software most interesting. But there is a great little alternative - its called "The Human Brain" ........

[quote name='Wan' post='1238009' date='May 20 2011, 11:49 AM']Hi Peeps, Does anybody have an idea what the correct fingering should be used to play the opening riff to So What ?? I've been playing open D the A,B and C on the G string with my 1st finger then D and E with my 4th Finger then C with my 1st finger and D with my 4th. Thanks guys, I'm a pro electric player learning to play the Double and I'm really confused about what fingers to use when approaching tunes. If anyone out there could give me any advise on how to approach playing standards from the Fake book or any other tips about fingering i would really appreciate it. " Maybe I'm thinking about it too much " Thanks, Wan[/quote] Hi Wan Firstly, there's no such thing as "correct" fingering ! There are "options" and you may end up with "preferences" but there are no rules where fingering is concerned ! It's best to know what all the options are, then decide what you feel works best for you, bearing in mind the musical context, your own strengths and weaknesses, and the efficient use of your physical resources. My DB fingering for "So What" is this: Open D, 1st finger A on D string (so you are already well up the fingerboard), shift up to B with 2nd finger (still on D string), C with 4th finger, for the D shift back and over to G string with 1st, 4th on E (same position),down to C with the 1st (G string), stay in this position now for D (4th on G string) and A (4th on D string) so on and so forth for the rest of the Dm7 section ending on the three Es (4th fing G string) and D and A both with 1st finger on G and d strings respectively. When we get to the Eb minor section, its slightly harder as we need don't have an open Eb string ! So: Eb 1st fing on A string (halfway up the board) Bb 4th fing on D string C shift up to 2nd fing (so still on D string) Db 4th fing (D string) Eb shift back and over on to G string with the 1st finger F 4th finger Db shift back with 1st finger Eb and Bb 4th finger on G and D strings respectively Hope this makes sense ! There are other ways of doing it of course, but I eventually decided this was my preferred method. The Major

If anybody is still interested in the original question (you've probably forgotten by now what is was !) you might like to have a look at my Boot Camp Session 33 which is loosely based on "So What". The point that everybody seems to have missed is this: The D Dorian mode - DEFGABCD - spells out not only Dm7 - DFAC - but also G7 - GBDF - and Em7 - EGBD. Its these 2 chords that give the Dorian mode its particular flavour. Look in particular at the B natural, the raised 6th (major 6th from D). This is the one note that is different from the Natural Minor scale or Aeolian Mode - DEFGABbC. In this Mode the chords would be Gm7 and Em7b5. The tune of So What gives no clue to the Mode as there is no 3rd (from the root D) - no F or F sharp. Its the accompanying chords (with the incorporated B natural) that give the modal feel to the piece. That distinctive 2 chord phrase - Em7 and Dm7 - creates the Dorian mode. The Major

[quote name='steve' post='1235045' date='May 17 2011, 10:57 PM']Great stuff Pete, I'm going to get stuck into this over the next couple of days[/quote] Steve - bear in mind that the examples here are just the basic notes you might play with these chord changes. Try adding in some of the things we discussed at the last lesson, like skips, left hand pizz and triplet rakes, to bring the part alive.

[quote name='stevie' post='1234011' date='May 17 2011, 10:03 AM']You're not kidding. How anybody can read that fast is beyond me.[/quote] Stevie - it's just all down to familiarity. Just like reading a book. If you know the language you are reading in, the shapes of the words become familiar and you no longer have to think about each word. Same with music. The more you do it, the less you actually have to think about each note. Also, after a while you start to recognise the patterns in the music. The same phrases or lines crop up time and time again and you learn to take in a bar at a time or more. Then when you are really proficient, you start to "read ahead" ie you are looking a bar or 2 ahead of the notes you are currently playing. This is what "sight reading" is ! By the way - the fastest example here would be easy sight reading for any seasoned pro ! We are expected to accurately read far more complex music than this at sight. The Major

The Major's Bass Boot Camp - Session 35 "Rhythm Changes" I remember many years ago, on one of the first jazz gigs I ever did, the bandleader called a tune I didn't know (one of many I didn't know !) and when I informed him of my unfamiliarity with said tune, he just said "Oh this one is easy - it's just Rhythm Changes." I was none the wiser !! The pianist quickly talked me through the sequence and somehow I got through it. Over the years I have found that the knowledge of this chord sequence has been most helpful, as there are many jazz standards based on it, albeit sometimes somewhat loosely. Recently I suggested to a student of mine (Hi Steve !) that he should know "Rhythm Changes" before doing his first foray into the jazz gig world, and this made me think maybe I should do a Boot Camp Session on this subject. So here it is ! It's far from being an exhaustive study of the subject - rather it is an easy introduction. Hopefully it will give you an overview of the ways this basically very simple sequence can be put to good use in a jazz setting. There's an old Gershwin tune called "I Got Rhythm" - you may know it. Jazzers found that the chord sequence of this tune was an ideal vehicle for jazz improvisation. But rather than use the original tune (which was getting rather cliched), many musicians wrote their own, keeping the original chords or in some cases making subtle (or not so subtle !) variations. The key of Bb is pretty much standard for any Rhythm Changes tune and everything in this session will be in this key. The "form" of this sequence is AABA, 8 bars of each section, making a total of 32 bars. In other words, we get two 8 bar sections (AA) that are the same (apart from the last bar of each) followed by a middle 8 ( B ) and then the A section again. This means that, if we play the sequence around many times, as we do, we end up with 3 A sections side by side (the last A section of one sequence followed by the first 2 A sections of the next). It's quite common for the band to get a little lost during the improvisation, wondering where the B section comes ! It helps to keep thinking of it as a 32 bar sequence, keeping tabs on just exactly where you are in the form. The defining feature of Rhythm Changes is the middle 8 ( section B ). The A sections can vary hugely in harmonic content (substitutions) but are always clearly in the tonic key (Bb). But the B section is nearly always D7 G7 C7 F7 (2 bars of each). Some well known jazz tunes that use the "Rhythm Changes" sequence: (there are many more) Oleo (Sonny Rollins) Anthropology (Charlie Parke / Dizzy Gillespie) Rhythm-A-Ning (Thelonious Monk) Straighten Up And Fly Right (Nat King Cole) Lester Leaps In (Lester Young) Meet The Flintstones (Hoyt Curtin) All the following examples are in an easy "4 to the bar" style (often referred to simply as "4's"). You can add your own skips and rakes when you feel comfortable with the lines. MBBC35a [attachment=80021:MBBC35a.pdf] [attachment=80026:MBBC35a.mp3] Version 1 A nice slow tempo to play along with. I've included the "I Got Rhythm " melody in this version only, just to show you where this all started. First 8 bars use just the root notes of each chord. From bar 9 onwards, we start to walk a little using other notes from each chord plus some "passing notes". For this example, I've kept to very simple chords, pretty much as per the original song. You can see how the first 16 bars are all clearly in Bb Major. Then in bar 17 we jump to D7 followed by a cycle of fifths - D7 G7 C7 F7. Then in bar 25 we are back to Bb Major to the end. In the original "I Got Rhythm", there is a melodic tag which extends the sequence by 2 more bars, but for our purposes here, we are sticking to the 32 bar form, which is the normal length for any "Rhythm Changes" tune. MBBC35b [attachment=80022:MBBC35b.pdf] [attachment=80027:MBBC35b.mp3] Version 2 Each version will be a little faster than the previous one. There are so many different ways of varying the chord sequence, I can only present you with a few common possibilities. The first thing I've changed in this version is the chord in bar 5 which was a Bb in version 1 and here is a D minor 7. Changing this chord effectively makes it feel like a 4 bar phrase rather than two 2 bar phrases. The chord of Dm7 (D F A C) is closely related to the Bb major chord (Bb D F). If you were to add a Bb under a Dm7, you have a Bb major 9 chord (Bb D F A C). Bars 5 to 8 (inclusive) of each A section, are where most substitutions take place. Here you can see a fairly common version. Look at bars 6 and 14, the second half of each. The first is an Ebm6 chord, the second is Cm7b5. These chords comprise exactly the same notes (Eb,Gb,Bb,C) but with different notes taken as the root note. So these chord names are interchangeable depending on which root note you choose. MBBC35c [attachment=80023:MBBC35c.pdf] [attachment=80028:MBBC35c.mp3] Version 3 Some more chordal variations. Note the E diminished chord in bar 6 for instance. And I've added a few more "passing" notes here and there. MBBC35d [attachment=80024:MBBC35d.pdf] [attachment=80029:MBBC35d.mp3] Version 4 OK, I agree with you, I've overdone the substitutions a bit on this one ! There are flat 5's, flat 9's, and 13ths all over the place. Perhaps a bit over the top and not entirely tasteful, but I wanted you to hear just how different these kind of chords chords can make the music sound. They bring a dirty edge to the harmony which creates a lot of tension (tension being a GOOD thing ! ) MBBC35e [attachment=80025:MBBC35e.pdf] [attachment=80030:MBBC35e.mp3] Version 5 For this version only, there is a 2 bar drum count on the mp3, as the tempo is quite swift. In the final 2 bars, note the use of a "pedal" F. This note is common to both chords (Bb and F). The Major

[quote name='Zach' post='1193419' date='Apr 8 2011, 11:48 PM']One question, it may be something you now do subconsciously, but did you work out how to play the vocal line on the bass? Just as quite a few times your bassline joins in or mimics it higher up, which fits quite nicely. My teacher recommended doing so, has been quite interesting, quite cool to see the effect it has, if that is indeed what you're doing.[/quote] Zach, did you read all my text in this Session ? I wouldn't blame you if you didn't - there's a lot to wade through ! But the main thrust of my thinking here has been to suggest to all bass players to take more interest in the melody line when creating a bass part. In fact of course, you need to be aware of everything that's going on in the rest of the band. Good listening skills are vital if you are to create something that gels properly. As a composer / arranger myself, I have to take care of all the parts that I'm writing, making sure that everything is complimentary and fits well. That is the nature of written music. But in a band situation, where everybody is contributing to the final creation, it's very easy to get stuck in your own part, ignoring the other players and singers. So learning melodies as well as bass parts will help you develop that extra sense of what is happening around you. The Major

[quote name='bluesman' post='1193128' date='Apr 8 2011, 06:14 PM']each to there own....but i still think its one of the best bass lines ever....love it....you must have a fantastic ear and knowledge of the bass....coz i couldnt fault it....absolute beautifull walking bass line....no offence just my humble opinion. cheers bob[/quote] The reason for writing this Session was partly due to "frank"'s challenge to come up with an alternative and improved bass line, but also to use this bass-line as an educational tool. In order to get basschatters (those who want / need to progress) thinking a bit deeper about the theory side of playing, this seemed like a good example to use. The original recorded bass part feels very "busked" to me, as if the player had a rough idea of what he would play but was feeling his way through rather than having a specific written part. If I'm right in this assertion, then that is why there are a few places that can be improved on once we look at it from a theoretical perspective. Its not my intention to be critical of the original. There are some nice ideas in there, along with some (to me) obvious gaffs. The Major

[u]The Major's Bass Boot Camp - Session 34[/u] Classic Bass Part Analysis 2 - "Moondance" Love it or loath it, Van Morrison's "Moondance", and more specifically, the bass part, often causes heated discussion on this forum. I decided to take the recent challenge set by "frank" and here I present my analysis of the original recorded bass part, and some suggestions for a better line. It has to be said: The original recorded bass part is very messily played ! A lot of the note choices are perfectly acceptable, however the timing and feel make the recording sound like a first run-through ! To be fair to the bass player, perhaps he couldn't properly hear the rest of the band or his headphones were not working …… !!!??? But how could the producer have allowed this take to be released - it beggars belief ! Anyway: Note-wise there are a few areas that we can improve on, although this will make it sound and feel somewhat different. The problem with recordings is that they become accepted for what they are. Any deviation from what you are used to hearing will always seem "wrong" at first. So please bear with me, and try to get used to my suggested alternatives before dismissing them out of hand ! Creating a bass part is a very personal art. We all have different views as to how to play our beloved instrument. You may feel I have overdone it a bit in some bars with too many skips or triplets etc. And if a producer or MD / Conductor said to me "Can you simplify the line a bit ?" then of course I would do as I am bid ! But I am pleased with my Alternative Bass Parts. Of the two, I think the 2nd works best. Here is my transcription of the song, up to bar 36 (the rest of the song is just repetition of the material thus far). MBBC34a [attachment=76940:MBBC34a.pdf] [attachment=76943:MBBC34a.mp3] I've tried to be as accurate as I can with my transcription of the bass part. However the accompaniment is sometimes an approximation. (I couldn't bear to spend too much more time on this !!) We can say that this piece is in A minor (which has no sharps or flats) despite the inclusion of F#s in the Bm7/E chords. The melody line is entirely based on the A Natural Minor scale (Aeolian Mode) but the inclusion of the F#s in the chordal accompaniment means we can't describe this piece as being Modal. Let's split the page into 3 sections: Part A - bars 1 to 20 inclusive. This is a 4 bar intro followed by 16 bars of: | Am7 / Bm7/E / | Actually, this is slightly misleading. To be more accurate, I should have put: | Am7 / Bm7 Bm7/E | In other words, the E root only appears on the 4th beat of the bar (with the exception of bars 12 and 14 where E is on the 3rd beat). The piano and guitar never play this E root. Its only the bass that plays it. In my Alternative Bass Parts, I've chosen frequently to place the E root on beat 3. Part B - bars 21 to 28 inclusive. Here we introduce the sub-dominant chord of Dm6 alternating with the tonic chord. The crotchet triplet figures in Bars 27 and 28 are interesting: In bar 27 Dm7 leads to Dm6 ie the note C in Dm7 (the 7th) moves to a B in Dm6 (the 6th). And in the next bar, E7+ (the + means an augmented 5th) the C (aug 5th) also move to the B of E7 (the 5th). So we get a nice moving inner part, which is the same two notes in each bar, despite the root chord changing. Part C - bar 29 to the end. Am7 Dm7. And a Dominant chord of E7 in the final bar. So I'm going to scrutinise Parts A and B and try to find better solutions to the bass line. Part C is a riff figure which, as it is doubled by the sax and flute, we will leave well alone. So here are my Alternative Bass Parts: MBBC34b [attachment=76941:MBBC34b.pdf] [attachment=76944:MBBC34b.mp3] MBBC34c [attachment=76942:MBBC34c.pdf] [attachment=76945:MBBC34c.mp3] The first thing which I noticed when listening to the Morrison version was that something didn't feel quite right in bar 7. On closer inspection, I realised that the vocal line on beat 2 is (notes) B and A, while the bass part is an A#. I've arrowed the first couple of times this happens but it continues throughout Part A. Now you might say "…well what's wrong with a clash like that ?". And you would be right, there are many clashes of this sort that go un-noticed most of the time. And dissonances can work really well if voiced correctly. But this one really started to irritate me after repeated listening. So I have come up with what I feel are better notes in my 2 Alternative Bass Parts. I've kept the A# in the 2nd and 4th bars where there is no clash with the voice. In "Alternative Bass Part 1" (Alt 1), I have replaced the A# with a C (the minor 3rd in Am7). Its still a dissonant interval (between the B of the voice and this C in the Bass - a major 7th) but as the vocal B resolves down to the A, its more like a momentary suspension and seems to fit quite nicely. In "Alternative Bass Part 2" (Alt 2), I have this time replaced the rogue A# with a G (arrowed). This works really well (the vocal notes C B now working with bass notes A G ie in 10ths) but it does slightly change the feel of the song. I really like this, now I've got used to it. Notice that, again, I've kept the A# in the second of each pair of bars where there is no clash. So now we get a downward line in bar 1 followed by an upward movement in bar 2. A nice contrast I think. With these changes, I've created a 2 bar phrase, rather than the 1 bar phrase that dominates the original part. The original bass part stops walking in bars 5 and 6 (the start of the vocal), he just points at the piano figures. Nothing wrong with that of course, but I decided it might be better to set the walking pulse straight off. I really don't like the F# used on the second beat in bars 12 and 18. The chord here is Am7 so we get a minor 9th clash (F# to G). Somehow it just feels wrong ! So, again, I've changed it to something I like better. In bar 19, the crotchet triplet figure in the voice and piano are set against the pulsing 4's in the bass. Certainly nothing amiss here (in fact I rather like the 6's against the 4's), but see what you think of my idea of having the bass also play this triplet figure. In Part B Bar 21: The original bass line is messy, as the notes are, again, too near the vocal line for comfort. So for my Alternative versions, I've used other notes from the Dm6 chord. In Alt 1, jumping up to a B then an A, and in Alt 2, the other way round, jumping up to A then B. Either way works well, I think. In bar 22, the original bass actually plays the same as the vocal - A B C (D). This feels weak to me. Again, this is just a personal preference, but I think the following sounds better: In Alt 1, I've used "contrary motion", such that the bass plays C B A (against the vocal A B C ). Now only the B is common to the Vocal and the Bass. In Alt 2, I've actually changed the chord on beat 3 of this bar so we can use a G# in the bass. See what you think. Is this stronger now ? I certainly believe so ! In bars 27 and 28, the crotchet triplet figures, I have chosen to vary the notes a little. Note that in Alt 2, I have used the note C in bar 28, as the chord on the first 2 beats is: E7 augmented (E7+): E G# C D There are many other small changes in both Alternative Parts that I felt made the line more interesting, but they are purely a matter of my personal taste, not because there is a theoretical reason for changing the original. So to sum up: I think the main lesson to learn here is that one should listen carefully to the melody when creating a bass line. Try to compliment the melody by playing notes which fit harmonically ie are not a direct clash. There is nothing wrong per se with dissonance (clash), but it pays to be aware of uncomfortable clashes and to seek an alternative note if at all possible. If needed, get the rest of the band to change a chord to something more appropriate, if that will solve the problem. Finally, have a listen to the Michael Buble big band version of this song. Nice ! The Major

Like most bass players, I've played Moondance many times with various bands over the last few years. But I've never really listened to the original recording in any detail. Till now ! (Isn't Spotify a great resource ?!). I've listened to just 2 versions: The original Van Morrison and the Michael Buble big band version I don't know who either bass player is, but the contrast is quite staggering. On the VM version, it sounds like the first play through (rehearsal), not even the first take ! The bass guitar player can't play in time for starters, and he actually seems to get lost towards the end. I can't believe the producer allowed this to be released. By contrast, the MB double bass player is superb, absolutely "in the pocket", lovely fills and rakes, and the whole feel is great. And of course this arrangement, which I've played many times, is brilliant. Now I can understand entirely why, on a jazz gig, some people (like Bilbo) would baulk at the idea of playing Moondance. The melody is very repetitive, the harmonic structure is simple, and jazzers tend to feel that the original VM recording was made by a bunch of non jazzers having a go at something vaguely jazzy. But then I think, hey wait a minute, "So What" is melodically very (very !) repetitive. the harmonic structure is simple ..... so why are we jazzers happy to play this tune ? I really don't have a clear answer to this. Is it something to do with association ? Miles Davis was a jazzer therefore So What must be good ? Van the Man was a pop/rock shouter therefore Moondance is tainted ? I really don't know. In the end does it really matter ? The general public seem to like this tune and VM will have done very nicely out of it thank you ! Anyway, I've decided to do a Boot Camp Session on MD (sorry Bilbo, I know I will have gone down in your estimation !!). I intend to look at the harmonic structure and the possible ways to vary the bass line. (Am I going to regret this, I ask myself !!) The Major

The Major's Bass Boot Camp - Session 33 Walking lines on one "Key Centre" So, GonzoBass has asked: "I wondered if you would be so kind as to show your approach to a walking line over several bars of one chord. Perhaps using "So What?" as an example?" This is actually quite a big subject to expound on, as it throws up many possibilities, many different approaches, and potentially, many misunderstandings ! I'm probably just going to scratch the surface here, but it should be a good starting point for the aspiring jazz bass player. My own approach to playing walking lines will change according to who I'm playing with, the nature of the gig, the instructions from the bandleader or soloist, how I'm feeling at the time, the acoustic of the venue, and so on. In other words, I hope I never play in a rigid formulaic way, and that spontaneity and inspiration come into the equation along with my listening skills and connectivity with the other players. So to clarify our scenario from the start: This session is rooted in "straight-ahead" jazz, embodying the creation via improvisation of a suitable pulsing bass-line in a typical jazz setting. The bass player's job, in this context, is not only to provide the pulse, but also to clarify the harmonic roots for the soloists. When playing on a single chord or key centre, the job is made a little easier in some senses, and the bass player should, if he or she wish, be able to wander away from that root and chordal notes more than usual, as you will see. The tricky bit comes in trying to keep things fresh and forward moving for longish periods in one key centre. Firstly lets deal with what is meant when you get a single given chord for several (or many) bars. The mistake made by new players is to believe that you are in some way restricted by this given singular chord. In fact the opposite is true. It is a chance to stretch out, without the need to change (modulate) from chord to chord, or root to root. Clearly, it depends on context, and the requirements and preferences of the musicians you are playing with. But the trick is to learn how to pull away from the obvious notes of the basic chord and create something more interesting. As always, my motto is "There are no rules in music - only preferences". If you like playing "out", being creative, taking a risk, if this defines your musical personality, then go for it. Don't let anybody tell you otherwise ! As an artist, you need to be true to your ideals, presenting exactly what you feel is right. That's in an ideal world ! But in reality, a lot of the time, as a working, gigging bass player, you need to provide what the other musicians, and the audience, expect of you. You can't always play in the way you might prefer. So yes, learn to play "out" - but in a controlled way, with true musical understanding and direction. Hopefully the examples that follow will kick start you in the right direction. I've loosely taken Miles Davis's "So What" on which to base my examples. Apart from the occasional reference in the accompaniment and the codas, I'm using nothing more from this piece other than the fact that the first 16 bars are usually given harmonically as: D minor 7 (Dorian). So with a root note (key centre) of D, the other notes of the Dorian mode are: E F G A B C In other words, it is all the white notes on the piano, but with that all important root (tonic) of D, and including the B natural (major 6th from the root) as opposed to the Bb (minor 6th) that is in the D minor key signature. Its this B natural that defines and shapes the Dorian mode (when D is the root). Now each of these notes will have a different effect on the way your bass line will be perceived. Its important to know the interval from the root note (D in our examples) to each note of the scale and what the effect of that interval will be. So for instance, the F is a minor 3rd away from the root and, as it is in the chord of Dm7, it will not only fit perfectly, but it also defines the "minor-ness" of the line. (However, if you play too many F's without referring back to the D root, you will give the impression that the piece is now in the Major key of F.) If, for instance, you play a G, the 4th note of the scale (and NOT in the chord of Dm7), you momentarily alter the underlying harmony, giving the line a nice forward movement, but it will feel as if you have moved away from the basic D minor chord. Similarly, the other 2 non-chordal notes in the scale, ie E and B, can create that same tension and instability, a useful tool to create an exciting line. I'll assume that you can already play a scale of D minor (Dorian). I'll also be using other non Dorian (chromatic) notes occasionally. As I said before, the Mode is just a starting point, a point of reference, from which the players will want to break free to create some exciting music. Otherwise you might as well return to Ancient Byzantium ! Let's be clear : Modal playing in jazz/rock etc is not about restricting your musical ideas to the notes of that mode. The Mode is a springboard to creativity, giving the whole band a "home base", a foundation, from which to travel to new and exciting musical frontiers. The following examples are in my usual "Play-Along" style. Each 8 bar phrase is repeated, but I only play for the first 8, leaving you on your own for the second 8. Either play the written notes, or if you wish, you can improvise something suitable. If you do the latter, try to do something similar to the written notes, utilising the same ideas. An important note about the accompaniments: If I simply used a chord of Dm7 throughout (as I have in Example MBBC33e) it would become extremely monotonous to play, but also to listen to if it carried on throughout a longer piece. Jazz musicians, seeing a single given chord or key centre, will open out and stretch the possibilities. I've chosen to use all the notes of the Dorian mode (all the white notes on the piano) in various voicing and clusters to demonstrate the harmonic possibilities while still remaining firmly in the Dorian mode. As you will hear, each of your bass notes will have a specific effect on the overall harmonic "drive", and you need to learn what that effect will be, how to control it (ie where best to place it), and how best to utilise this knowledge. This will come with experience, actually getting out there and doing it with good players. Its not something you can learn to do just by following this lesson or reading academic tomes. You need to put it into context - get out there and play ! But this Session is a good first step. MBBC33a [attachment=76697:MBBC33a.pdf] [attachment=76702:MBBC33a.mp3] In this first example, I've kept it simple, mostly steady crotchets. The root note D is often referred to, defining the key centre. ( In some situations, you need to emphasise this root note for the rest of the band. In "So What" for instance, the chord changes in bar 17 (for 8 bars) to Eb minor and back to D minor in bar 25. Making these changes absolutely clear to the other musicians is a vital part of the bass players role. So make sure you reiterate the root note several times at these change points when you get out there and play "So What" for real.) For the first 16 bars, it's all very clearly centred on a D root. Now look at bar 20 which starts with a B natural, the one note that is different in this Dorian mode from the Bb that would be present in the Aeolian mode (the Natural Minor). This B, placed on the first beat of the bar, accentuates the Dorian nature of the piece. Bar 23 starts with a G natural, and you can clearly hear the effect of this, hinting at a chord of G7, momentarily changing the perceived harmonic direction. Bar 33 and 34 have a falling chromatic run, including several notes from outside the Dorian scale. As you can hear, there is nothing wrong with using these notes, quite the opposite in fact, as they create a pleasing effect. But care has to be taken with notes like these. Unless you want to create a lot of tension (and there is nothing wrong with that aspiration !), its best to use them as passing notes ie for moving between scale notes that fall on strong beats. Then, in bar 45, I have used a little syncopation to give the line a fresh feel. Never think that you must only play 4 crotchets to the bar when walking, although clearly that is the predominant nature of a walking bass part. Putting in the occasional rhythmic variation can only add to the potency of the 4 in a bar passages that follow. (For me, "variation" and "contrast" are the 2 most important words in music.) MBBC33b [attachment=76698:MBBC33b.pdf] [attachment=76703:MBBC33b.mp3] Now we start to add some of those little tricks that bring a "4 in the bar" style to life. Skips, rakes, syncopation and cross-rhythms all help to add interest to your playing and enhance the feel and groove of the music. From bar 17, there is a riff-like passage. I love doing this kind of thing. Rather than always creating a "4 to the bar" pulse, I think its great to occasionally include an improvised repeated riff of some sort, ideally with a syncopated groove. And its even better if other band members notice what you are doing and play in a complimentary way. (To be fair, on the mp3 I have somewhat contrived this passage with an accompaniment that fits !) Bar 33 goes back to the walking line with skips and rakes. Again notice how, in bars 35 and 36, the note G (and the G major rake) has a profound effect on the perceived harmonic direction. This 4th note of the scale has great power when used intelligently. MBBC33c [attachment=76699:MBBC33c.pdf] [attachment=76704:MBBC33c.mp3] In this example, we combine all the ideas so far mentioned. The tempo is a little faster now. MBBC33d [attachment=76700:MBBC33d.pdf] [attachment=76705:MBBC33d.mp3] Much faster this time. Notice in bar 38 and 39, the little device of phrasing crotchet notes in 3's to create a cross-rhythm. MBBC33e [attachment=76701:MBBC33e.pdf] [attachment=76706:MBBC33e.mp3] A little slower. And here the piano accompaniment is purely Dm7(9). Although one can use rhythms to make it a little more interesting, hopefully you can see why I would say its rather boring to stick literally to one static harmony throughout a piece. It's OK for short sections, but then some variety is needed. This time, I've written the swing quavers (triplet quavers) as ordinary quavers (8ths), as opposed to semiquavers in the previous examples. This is the more common way of writing this. Again, a mix of walking and syncopation. From bar 21, we get one of those cross-rhythms again, this time each note is 3 quavers long. Notice how I don't start this piece with the root note. You can feel the tension in those first 2 notes ( A C ) which is then released when we hit the D. This happens again in bar 5 (C A ). If you've made it through to this point in the Session, I hope you can see that I've given you a few pointers that will help you create good walking lines on a single key centre. But the best advice I can give you is to learn all this, take it all in, then forget it ! Finding your own style through experimentation is far more fun and far more rewarding, and you will end up having an individual voice, rather than being just another bass player who plays like everybody else. The great players are great because they have an individual recognisable style. The Major

[quote name='GonzoBass' post='1178691' date='Mar 27 2011, 08:21 PM']First off- Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge so generously with us through the "Boot Camp Sessions"! I wondered if you would be so kind as to show your approach to a walking line over several bars of one chord. Perhaps using "So What?" as an example? Thanks again![/quote] Great idea! I'll do a session on this just as soon as I can. But in the meantime, what Bilbo has written here is all excellent advice (as you would expect !). The Major

How about "Sir Duke" - Stevie Wonder. Mostly straightforward rhythm section playing, but then there is that great unison passage that every bass player should know. Not exactly hard to play, but as with all playing, it shows your skill if you play it well. Just a thought .... The Major

Yes I've used belcantos on my orchestral bass. And they were excellent with the bow. But I wouldn't want to use them for jazz.

[quote name='Doddy' post='1158657' date='Mar 11 2011, 09:04 PM']No you wouldn't,because for most shows you won't get charts until the first rehearsal,and you can't just learn the soundtrack album,because there will be a lot of differences and cuts and things.[/quote] As usual, Doddy and I agree. In the pro world (even the semi pro world), time is money. You've pretty much got to nail it first time (or at least the second time through) or you will be holding up the whole rehearsal or session, and that will not go down well with the conductor / MD / producer / fixer or whoever is paying for the work. It's vital to gain a reputation for being a good reliable and accurate sight reader if you intend working in shows, concerts, sessions etc Equally, you need to be able to understand the style of the music and respond accordingly. I've just been touring with a 25 piece band (plus some celebrity dancers and singers from a well known TV show) and the written bass parts were very simple to read but required a certain amount of interpretation and "styling". First time through, I played it as written. Thereafter I made it my own. The Major

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='1157464' date='Mar 10 2011, 11:46 PM']Wow, this will take some time to digest. The key changes really throw my ear off - is there really only two keys? I thought the first line of the chorus was another key change. It's so diffcult to understand what's happening![/quote] Actually, this song is not particularly complex in its key structure when compared to music in the wider world. Admittedly, a lot of music in the pop and rock genres is really quite simple, harmonically speaking. Nothing wrong with that, of course. I'm not being critical, its just an observation. When I first studied music, the word "modulation" cropped up constantly, and it took me a while to understand this term and its importance when applied to music. The word literally means "change" and when applied to music it refers to the "change" of key, or key centre. Take a melody like "God Save The Queen". It has no modulation (in the usual standard harmonisation) - it remains in one key throughout. (Of course, you can re-harmonise it with lots of modulations if you so wish. It's a standard task when learning harmony). Some of you might know the old standard "S'Wonderful" (Gershwin). Usually in Eb major, the first 8 bars (of the chorus) is all in this key. Then it modulates in the middle 8 into the key of G major, and back to Eb for the final 8. So this is a simple example of a modulation within a song. If you cast your musical net wider, and listen to, say, a tone poem by Richard Strauss or a symphony by Mahler, you will hear many modulations, the music swooping from key to key, sometimes so much so its difficult to keep a grasp on what is happening. (Listen to Strauss's Opera "Salome" for an extreme example). All the classical composers like Beethoven, Haydn and Mozart use modulation all the time. Its what gives the music its forward momentum. Looked at from an academic stance, this all sounds rather boring, but when you hear the effect of a change of key centre, from an emotional point of view it can be quite stunning. There is a moment in the Titanic theme (My Heart Goes On ?) where the key modulates with a quite dramatic effect. Many old pop songs use the devise of taking the final chorus up a semitone. This is a modulation. The Earth Wind and Fire song "After The Love Has Gone" is a good example of multiple modulations. The old standard bossa nova "The Girl From Ipanema" also has some nice modulations in the middle 8. There are several standard ways to modulate, the most common being to precede the new tonic chord with it's dominant chord eg G7 - C or Dm7 - G7 - C (ii - v - 1) Another (jazzy) way is to precede the tonic with the chord built on a semitone higher eg Db7b5 - C Diminished chords are another useful tool for modulation. Or you can sometimes just lurch into the new key with no pivot point. So in "God Only Knows" we start in E for the intro and then when the voice comes in we have "lurched" down a tone to a key centre of D major. but this only lasts for 3 bars. As soon as you hear the B9 chord you are returning to the E key centre. The B9 chord is a pivot point. Just to be clear: B9 is a Dominant chord. It is a B7 chord( B D# F# A) with an added 9th - C#. Hope this has helped ! The Major

Sorry to be pedantic - but I've just spotted a wrong note in the Prelude. Bar 11 should be D naturals throughout the bar. The Major

[quote name='Doddy' post='1155056' date='Mar 9 2011, 11:01 AM']It's not a case of one or the other-both reading and theory work together,and make each other easier. Do both at the same time.[/quote] Doddy is spot on. One feeds in to the other. But you need to realise that the Theory of music is a huge subject which takes years to get to grips with (and few people ever get to know it all). You could just sit down with a pile of theory books and plough through them. But you are unlikely to understand any of it without some practical application. Learning to read while you learn to play will also help you develop some understanding of how notes work together, how we organise notes and rhythms to create music for people to enjoy. So your perception of Western Music Theory will grow along the way. By the way, musicians NEVER stop learning. Its a lifelong study - that's the beauty of it - there's always some area of music you have yet to fully understand. I've been a pro for 40 years and I still learn something everyday ! The Major

It's so much easier to understand theory if you can read. The two things go hand in hand. Yes, you can learn to read music without ever understanding the theory, and vice versa. But, certainly from a teacher's perspective, it so much easier to explain theory in all it's aspects if you can point to the written note. I know from my own work in music education (and in the playing profession) that many musicians "get by" without ever learning to read. And some of them are truly great players. I was playing with one last week - the sax man Gilad Atzmon - an outstanding jazz talent. But, by his own admission, he doesn't read and can therefore only work as a solo artist. He could never play in a big band, or do TV or film sessions, or play orchestral sax, or work with any kind of reading band, or theatre band ..... So just think how many more opportunities in the wonderful world of music will open up to you if you CAN read AND have a good grasp on theory, harmony,rhythmic understanding, improvisation etc etc But then maybe you are perfectly happy in a small musical clique that has limited scope ..... and a limited future ...... But that's fine too - as long as you enjoy playing music, that's all that really matters. By the way, reading music is not hard. It just takes patience and a practice. And getting a good teacher will help ..... The Major